london calling
just a quick trip across the pond
Post-London Rachel:
I start my mornings with English Breakfast tea
I’m rereading Zadie Smith
I’m breaking out my velvet Dr. Martens to channel my inner Maisie Peters
Some folks are saying, “Abroad changed me.”1
I’m back from a quick trip (aka four days) across the pond. So, this week I’m sharing my LDN itinerary and guide.2 If you didn’t come for the itinerary but you’re here for the recs, you can view all my suggested spots right here on the Corner app.
4 days in London
Day 1: just touched down in london town
Morning
Praise be Tylenol PM, the unsung hero of red eyes. Up next: Uber to the hotel, take a quick shower, and get ready for the day ahead.
Lunch
Nothing says welcome like fish and chips. Stop by The Fox & Pheasant, a tucked-away pub in Chelsea—rustic, snazzy, and full of classic British charm.
Afternoon
Ok, the jetlag is starting to hit. You’re not in the mood for the 4.5 Harry Potter tour. Head to Covent Garden for a nice stroll. Pop by Buns from Home for a cinnamon bun and/or sit down at Monmouth Coffee and sip a cappuccino.
Early dinner
After you get your steps in, it’s time to carbo-load. Grab an early dinner at Coco Popolare, an Italian spot run by the Big Mamma Group. It fits the hospitality group’s MO: bright colors, tchotchkes, and flavorful Italian bites with a BANG. Pasta is the move here (yup, I’m still gluten free). Share La Gran Carbonara for two—it’s truly GRAND—or go for the mafaldine with black Molisse truffle and a mascarpone cream sauce. You’ll end up in a food coma, for sure, without a doubt.
Day 2: roleplay as anna scott
Morning
Stop by Layla Bakery for brekkie. You may be jet lagged, but you’ll want to get up for these pastries. This is London’s hottest bakery serving up an uber buttery, milky chocolate pain au chocolate (PAC) in town. For the New Yorkers reading, it’s giving L’Appartement 4F meets Librae. Sit inside the cozy spot for a nosh and then grab a sourdough loaf and coffee for Portobello Road.
Walk down Portobello Road. Pop by The Blue Door (duh), The Notting Hill Bookshop, and pick your top five favorite colored homes. Browse the interiors and valuations online, and start saving up STAT.
Lunch
Sit down at Granger & Co in Notting Hill, an Australian joint with Aesop in the bathrooms, so you’re set. Munch on consistently good aussie food and fab people-watching. Think healthy(ish) sandwiches, bowls, and soft scrambled eggs with sourdough.
Afternoon
Make your way to the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A). Take the long route and stroll through Hyde Park or hop on a bike. The V&A is Louvre-esque. It’s overwhelming, I get it. To start, I recommend their one-hour guided tours. Before your trip, be sure to see if there are any special exhibits up your alley. They sell out quickly!
Afterward, walk 10 minutes down the block and stop by Harrods. Cough, cough, this is one of many spots to find a gift for your fam, next-door neighbor (she still hasn’t responded to my note or cookies), or bestie—something like a Harrod’s tote bag, some fancy chocolate, or loose-leaf tea.
Is it time for a pick-me-up? Stop by The Grenadier, a classy pub. You may or may not be wondering…what’s the story behind the name? Legend has it that a soldier named young Cedric was caught cheating at cards and was beaten to death. Now, pubgoers hang money on the ceiling to repair the poor man’s death.3 Grab a beer, some fries, and maybe some sticky toffee pudding if you’re up for it, which you should be to honor Cedric.
Dinner
Eat all the tandoori meat your heart desires, and can handle, at Tandoor Chop House in Covent Garden. Two musts: Book a res and order the tandoori chicken.
Day 3: is that you Francis Bacon?
Morning
We all know Dishoom. Or, if you don't, it's the most popular restaurant recommendation I received before our trip. No matter which location you choose, you’ll always find a queue wrapping around the corner for dinner. So, here’s the solution: Go for brunch. You can book a res, and the food is equally as phenomenal. Start your day at the King’s Cross location before you head off for an art day.
Take the tube to The Tate Modern. As always, I recommend starting with a guided tour. It’s only an hour, and you never know what you’ll learn. Look up the schedule ahead of time and book any of the ticketed exhibits, if they’re of interest. !! For the Kusama girlies, there is an infinity room here. You do have to book tickets ahead of time !!
Afternoon
Grab a bite at Borough Market, one of London’s best food markets. You’ll find a whole suite of sweet and savory treats from Indian street food to seasonal fruit crumbles.
Afterward, take a guided tour of The Globe Theater. As a Shakespeare stan (fun fact: I was in a youth Shakespeare theater company), this is where you can live out your Lady Macbeth fantasies.
Dinner…and a show
The standout reservation of our trip was Berenjak, a Persian jaunt that clenched its spot on Dua Lipa’s top five London restaurants. Make a res at the Soho location—it’s bigger—but the Borough one is equally special and a tad more intimate. Get the priced fixed meal. You’ll enjoy the juiciest, most tender kebabs and a black sesame hummus that will melt in your mouth.
Then, it wouldn’t be a trip to London without a visit to The West End. We saw two shows: Mamma Mia and Guys & Dolls. Get your tix ahead of time or book the day of right on the Today Tix app.
Day 4: quilted jacket treasure hunt
Morning
Head to Shoreditch for the day. Start at Jolene. (There are 2 locations. Go to the one on Redchurch Street.) This corner bakery is a British patisserie, full of Ganni girls and post-run couples. Grab a coffee and croissant to go and walk up and down Redchurch Street. Don’t miss Earl of East for A+ curated home goods.
Make your way to Brick Lane, where the vintage shopping begins! I was on the hunt for vintage Barbours and quilted jackets. No success sadly, but great browsing. Then, stop by Goodhood, a shoppy shop with home goods and streetwear.
Lunch & afternoon plans
Shoreditch lunch recs: Lahpet Shoreditch (Burmese), On The Bab (tasty Korean),
Then, hop on the tube for a high tea moment. The spots: Sketch, The Wolseley, The Lanesborough. If you do the whole sketch shebang, book a res in the gallery room and prepare for a whole production, people taking selfies left and right, and fish eye mirrors and pod bathrooms that might make you a little nauseous. (My take: A memorable experience but a little overpriced and not the best high tea.)
Then, pop into Liberty London aka the best department store in the citay and wander around Mayfair for the rest of the afternoon.
Dinner et voilà!
It’s your last night on the down! Dinner picks: Jikoni, The Pelican (upscale pub), Kanada-Ya ramen. Choose your poison. That’s your London trip. Some more fun recs below, and as a reminder, all my spots are saved here. Ciao!
dream stays:
Chiltern Firehouse: Ok, this is my ultimate ultimate. One day…if I win the lottery. For now, lunch there will do.
One Hundred Shoreditch: Trendy, more affordable hotel in Shoreditch.
The Hoxton Holborn or Shoreditch: I am a Hoxton girlie through and through. Super lovely, comfy rooms, lobbies worth hanging out in, and trustworthy concierge recommendations.
At Sloane: Previously an apartment building, it’s now the newest boutique hotel in Chelsea with 30 rooms.
Any Firmdale Hotel: 100% go on a crawl of all their locations.
neighborhoods to wander in:
Notting Hill, Chelsea, Marylebone, Shoreditch, Mayfair
transportation:
The tube and buses! Both take Apple Pay. For to and from Heathrow, uber is easy.
un café:
Moncole Café, Monmoth, Shreeji Newsagents (Airmail’s coffee shop), jenki for matcha.
other fun things
Columbia Road Flower Market, Electric Cinema, pub tour, Jack the Ripper tour, a day trip to Liverpool.
Please see my “Abroad changed me” playlist on Spotify circa 2018.
If this is your first trip to London, call me, text me, and certainly don’t follow this itinerary play-by-play.
Still don’t get the name? The Grenadiers were the first regiment of the royal household infantry.
This brought me right back to London! ❤️❤️❤️